‘Pennyworth’: Lead Roles Cast for Epix’s ‘Batman’ Prequel
Bruce Wayne’s journey on Gotham may be coming to an end, but Alfred’s is just beginning. Deadline have announced that Jack Bannon will play the title role in Epix’s Pennyworth.
Bannon, whose credits include The Imitation Game and TV series Ripper and Endeavour, continues the tradition of English actors in the role, following in the footsteps of Michael Gough, Michael Caine, Jeremy Irons, and Sean Pertwee. Unlike his predecessors, Bannon will not be playing Alfred as Bruce Wayne’s butler, as Pennyworth follows the story of a young Alfred as he returns to 1960s London following a tour of duty in the SAS.
Described by Deadline as “a boyishly handsome, cheerful, charming, clever young man from London. Honest, open-faced and witty; you’d never take him for an SAS killer. Alfred doesn’t know how to reconcile the kind-hearted boy he used to be with the cold, calculated killer he was forced to become. He’s a man on the make, who doesn’t know what to make of himself yet.”
Starring opposite Bannon will be Ben Aldridge (The Devil’s Whore, Fleabag), portraying a young Thomas Wayne. Described by Deadline as “a young, fresh-faced billionaire hailing from the East Coast of the United States. Confident and extremely disciplined, this young aristocrat meets and unlikely business partner in Alfred Pennyworth.”
In addition to the two leads, Deadline also revealed that Ryan Fletcher (Outlander) and Hainsley Lloyd Bennett (Casualty) have joined Pennyworth as series regulars. Playing Dave Boy and Bazza respectively, their characters are described as “lifelong friends of Alfred’s from their army days serving in the same corps. Dave Boy, a haggard Highland Scotsman who is slowly drinking himself to death since leaving the army, is a close ally of Alfred and Bazza and also the most unpredictable of the trio. Bazza, a posh Bajan playboy, is highly proficient at logistics and a valued member of Alfred’s team.”
The ten episode drama series, from executive producers Bruno Heller and Danny Cannon, is due to start filming next week in the UK.
Chris is a lifelong fan of Disney, Star Wars and super heroes who can’t quite believe this golden age of movies and TV we’re living in. Having written blogs dedicated to Disney’s Aladdin musical and Star Wars Celebration, Chris is excited to be part of the MNN team.
